Tray locking apparatus of optical disk drive and optical disk drive adopting the same

1. A tray locking apparatus of an optical disk drive including a fixed frame and a tray installed in the fixed frame, that loads and unloads a disk, the tray locking apparatus comprising: a first locking portion provided on the fixed frame; a first lever having a second locking portion selectively coupled to the first locking portion and installed on the tray to move between a coupling position where the first locking portion and the second locking portion are coupled, and a releasing position where the first locking portion and the second locking portion are separated; a first elastic member applying an elastic force to the first lever in a direction toward the coupling position; a switching unit installed on the tray that locks the first lever at the coupling position by a magnetic force, and unlocks and moves the first lever to the releasing position by temporarily offsetting the magnetic force; and a returning unit to return the first lever to the coupling position from the releasing position when the tray is unloaded.

2. The tray locking apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the switching unit comprises: a second lever to move the first lever in a direction toward the releasing position; a second elastic member that applies an elastic force to the second lever to move the first lever in a direction toward the releasing position; a mobile piece connected to the second lever, that moves according to movement of the second lever; a magnet that exerts an attractive magnetic force on the mobile piece; and a coil portion interposed between the mobile piece and the magnet, that generates a magnetic force in a direction opposite to the direction of the magnetic force of the magnet when current is applied to the coil portion.

3. The tray locking apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , further comprising: a pivot shaft attached to the tray, wherein the first lever is coupled to the pivot shaft and pivots about the pivot shaft.

4. The tray locking apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , wherein: the second lever is coupled to the pivot shaft.

5. The tray locking apparatus as claimed in claim 4 , wherein: the returning unit comprises a cam portion located on the first lever so that when the tray slides into the fixed frame, the cam portion engages the first locking portion, and the first lever pivots to the coupling position; and the second locking portion comprises a hook step, by which the first locking portion is engaged, and an interference portion inclined to engage the first locking portion when the tray is loaded, so that the first lever pivots in a direction opposite to a direction of the elastic force of the first elastic member.

6. The tray locking apparatus as claimed in claim 5 , further comprising: a releasing portion provided on the first lever, wherein a front surface of the tray has a through hole, and an object is inserted through the through hole to contact the releasing portion and pivot the first lever to the releasing position.

7. The tray locking apparatus as claimed in claim 6 , further comprising: an additional bracket, wherein the first lever, the first elastic member, the switching unit, and the returning unit are assembled onto the additional bracket, and the assembled additional bracket is installed on the tray.

8. The tray locking apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the returning unit comprises: a cam portion, located on the first lever, to contact the first locking portion and move the first lever to the coupling position when the tray moves out of the fixed frame.

9. The tray locking apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second locking portion comprises: a hook step by which the first locking portion is engaged; and an interference portion inclined to engage the first locking portion when the tray is loaded, so that the first lever moves in a direction opposite to a direction of the elastic force of the first elastic member.

10. The tray locking apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising: a releasing unit to manually access the first lever, and move the first lever to the releasing position.

11. The tray locking apparatus as claimed in claim 10 , wherein: a front surface of the tray has a through hole; and the releasing unit comprises a releasing portion provided on the first lever, wherein an external object is insertable through the through hole to contact the releasing portion and move the first lever to the releasing position.

12. The tray locking apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising: an additional bracket, wherein the first lever, the first elastic member, the switching unit, and the returning unit are assembled onto the additional bracket, and the assembled additional bracket is installed on the tray.

13. An optical disk drive comprising: a fixed frame; a tray installed in the fixed frame, that loads and unloads a disk; and a tray locking apparatus to lock or unlock the tray with respect to the fixed frame, wherein the tray locking apparatus has: a first locking portion provided on the fixed frame; a first lever having a second locking portion selectively coupled to the first locking portion and installed on the tray to move between a coupling position where the first locking portion and the second locking portion are coupled, and a releasing position where the first locking portion and the second locking portion are separated; a first elastic member applying an elastic force to the first lever in a direction toward the coupling position; a switching unit installed on the tray that locks the first lever at the coupling position by a magnetic force, and unlocks and moves the first lever to the releasing position by temporarily offsetting the magnetic force; and a returning unit that returns the first lever to the coupling position from the releasing position when the tray is unloaded.

14. The optical disk drive as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the switching unit comprises: a second lever to move the first lever in a direction toward the releasing position; a second elastic member that applies an elastic force to the second lever to move the first lever in a direction toward the releasing position; a mobile piece connected to the second lever, that moves according to movement of the second lever; a magnet that exerts an attractive magnetic force on the mobile piece; and a coil portion interposed between the mobile piece and the magnet, that generates a magnetic force in a direction opposite to the direction of the magnetic force of the magnet when current is applied to the coil portion.

15. The optical disk drive as claimed in claim 14 , further comprising: a pivot shaft attached to the tray, wherein the first lever is coupled to the pivot shaft and pivots about the pivot shaft.

16. The optical disk drive as claimed in claim 15 , wherein: the second lever is coupled to the pivot shaft.

17. The optical disk drive as claimed in claim 16 , wherein: the returning unit comprises a cam portion located on the first lever so that when the tray slides into the fixed frame, the cam portion engages the first locking portion, and the first lever pivots to the coupling position; and the second locking portion comprises a hook step, by which the first locking portion is engaged, and an interference portion inclined to engage the first locking portion when the tray is loaded, so that the first lever pivots in a direction opposite to a direction of the elastic force of the first elastic member.

18. The optical disk drive as claimed in claim 17 , further comprising: a releasing portion provided on the first lever, wherein a front surface of the tray has a through hole, and an external object is insertable through the through hole to contact the releasing portion and pivot the first lever to the releasing position.

19. The optical disk drive as claimed in claim 18 , further comprising: an additional bracket, wherein the first lever, the first elastic member, the switching unit, and the returning unit are assembled onto the additional bracket, and the assembled additional bracket is installed on the tray.

20. The optical disk drive as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the returning unit comprises: a cam portion, located on the first lever, to contact the first locking portion and move the first lever to the coupling position when the tray moves out of the fixed frame.

21. The optical disk drive as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the second locking portion comprises: a hook step by which the first locking portion is engaged; and an interference portion inclined to engage the first locking portion when the tray is loaded, so that the first lever moves in a direction opposite to a direction of the elastic force of the first elastic member.

22. The optical disk drive as claimed in claim 13 , further comprising: a releasing unit to manually access the first lever, and move the first lever to the releasing position.

23. The optical disk drive as claimed in claim 22 , wherein: a front surface of the tray has a through hole; and the releasing unit comprises a releasing portion provided on the first lever, wherein an external object is insertable through the through hole to contact the releasing portion and move the first lever to the releasing position.

24. The optical disk drive as claimed in claim 13 , further comprising: an additional bracket, wherein the first lever, the first elastic member, the switching unit, and the returning unit are assembled onto the additional bracket, and the assembled additional bracket is installed on the tray.

25. A tray locking apparatus of an optical disk drive comprising: a first member that moves between a coupling position and a releasing position; a returning unit to return the first member to the coupling position from the releasing position when a tray of the optical disk drive is unloaded; and a switching unit, coupled to the first member, and having a magnet and a coil portion, wherein the switching unit locks the first member in the coupling position with a first magnetic force, and selectively reduces a net magnetic force of the switching unit to unlock and move the first member to the releasing position.

26. The tray locking apparatus claimed in claim 25 , wherein: the first magnetic force is generated by the magnet; and the switching unit selectively reduces a net magnetic force of the switching unit by generating a second magnetic force, opposite to the direction of the first magnetic force, when a current is applied to the coil portion.

27. The tray locking apparatus claimed in claim 26 , wherein the optical disk drive includes a fixed frame and a tray that moves in and out of the fixed frame to load and unload a disk, the tray locking apparatus further comprising: a first locking portion provided on the fixed frame; and a first elastic member that applies a first elastic force to the first member, to bias the first member towards the coupling position.

28. The tray locking apparatus claimed in claim 27 , wherein the first member comprises: a second locking portion, wherein when the first member is in the coupling position, the first and second locking portions are coupled, and when the first member is in the releasing position, the first and second locking portions are separated.

29. The tray locking apparatus claimed in claim 28 , wherein the switching unit comprises: a second member that moves the first member towards the releasing position; a second elastic member that applies a second elastic force to the second member to move the first member towards the releasing position; and a mobile piece, connected to the second member, that moves under the influence of the first and second magnetic forces and the second elastic force, wherein the first magnetic force is greater than the second elastic force, the second elastic force is greater than the net magnetic force of the switching unit when the current is applied to the coil portion, when the first member is in the coupling position, the first magnetic force maintains the mobile piece and the second member in a first position, and when the current is applied to the coil portion, the second elastic force moves the second member and the mobile piece to a second position, and the movement of the second member moves the first member from the coupling position to the releasing position.

30. The tray locking apparatus claimed in claim 29 , wherein: the second elastic member is one of a torsion spring, a tension coil spring, and a leaf spring.

31. The tray locking apparatus claimed in claim 29 , wherein: the first and second members translate.

32. The tray locking apparatus claimed in claim 27 , wherein: the first elastic member is one of a torsion spring, a tension coil spring, and a leaf spring.

33. The tray locking apparatus claimed in claim 25 , wherein: the magnet is a permanent magnet.

34. A tray locking apparatus of an optical disk drive including a fixed frame and a tray that moves in and out of the fixed frame to load and unload a disk, the tray locking apparatus comprising: a first member that moves between a coupling position and a releasing position; a first elastic member that applies a first elastic force to the first member, to bias the first member towards the coupling position a returning unit to return the first member to the coupling position from the releasing position; a first locking portion provided on the fixed frame; and a switching unit, coupled to the first member, and having a magnet and a coil portion, wherein the switching unit locks the first member in the coupling position with a first magnetic force, and selectively reduces a net magnetic force of the switching unit to unlock and move the first member to the releasing position, and the returning unit is a cam portion, located on the first member, that is shaped such that when the cam portion contacts the first locking portion, the first member moves to the coupling position.

35. A tray locking apparatus of an optical disk drive including a fixed frame and a tray that moves in and out of the fixed frame to load and unload a disk, the tray locking apparatus comprising: a first member that moves between a coupling position and a releasing position; a first elastic member that applies a first elastic force to the first member, to bias the first member towards the coupling position; a first locking portion provided on the fixed frame; a second locking portion having a hook step that engages the first locking portion when the first member is in the coupling position, and an interference portion, inclined to engage the first locking portion when the tray moves into the fixed frame, and move the first member in a direction opposite to a direction of the first elastic force; and a switching unit, coupled to the first member, and having a magnet and a coil portion, wherein the switching unit looks the first member in the coupling position with a first magnetic force, and selectively reduces a net magnetic force of the switching unit to unlock and move the first member to the releasing position, and when the first member is in the coupling position, the first and second locking portions are coupled, and when the first member is in the releasing position, the first and second locking portions are separated.

36. A tray locking apparatus of an optical disk drive including a fixed frame and a tray that moves in and out of the fixed frame to load and unload a disk, the tray locking apparatus comprising: a first locking portion provided on the fixed frame; a first member that moves between a coupling position and a releasing position, the first member comprising a second locking portion, such that when the first member is in the coupling position, the first and second locking portions are coupled, and when the first member is in the releasing position, the first and second locking portions are separated; a first elastic member that applies a first elastic force to the first member, to bias the first member towards the coupling position; and a switching unit coupled to the first member, that locks the first member in the coupling position with a first magnetic force, and selectively reduces a net magnetic force of the switching unit to unlock and move the first member to the releasing position, the switching unit comprising: a magnet generating the first magnetic force, a coil portion generating a second magnetic force, opposite to the direction of the first magnetic force, when a current is applied to the coil portion, a second member that moves the first member towards the releasing position, a second elastic member that applies a second elastic force to the second member to move the first member towards the releasing position, and a mobile piece, connected to the second member, that moves under the influence of the first and second magnetic forces and the second elastic force, wherein the first magnetic force is greater than the second elastic force, the second elastic force is greater than the net magnetic force of the switching unit when the current is applied to the coil portion, when the first member is in the coupling position, the first magnetic force maintains the mobile piece and the second member in a first position, when the current is applied to the coil portion, the second elastic force moves the second member and the mobile piece to a second position, and the movement of the second member moves the first member from the coupling position to the releasing position, and the first and second members rotate.

37. The tray locking apparatus claimed in claim 36 , further comprising: a pivot shaft attached to the tray, wherein the first member is coupled to the pivot shaft and pivots about the pivot shaft.

38. The tray locking apparatus claimed in claim 37 , wherein: the second member is coupled to the pivot shaft and pivots about the pivot shaft.

39. The tray locking apparatus claimed in claim 37 , further comprising: an additional pivot shaft attached to the tray, wherein the second member is coupled to the additional pivot shaft and pivots about the additional pivot shaft.

40. A tray locking apparatus of an optical disk drive including a fixed frame and a tray that moves in and out of the fixed frame to load and unload a disk, the tray locking apparatus comprising: a first locking portion provided on the fixed frame; a first member that moves between a coupling position and a releasing position, the first member comprising a second locking portion, such that when the first member is in the coupling position, the first and second locking portions are coupled, and when the first member is in the releasing position, the first and second locking portions are separated; a first elastic member that applies a first elastic force to the first member, to bias the first member towards the coupling position; an additional bracket; a returning unit to return the first member to the coupling position from the releasing position; and a switching unit coupled to the first member, that locks the first member in the coupling position with a first magnetic force, and selectively reduces a net magnetic force of the switching unit to unlock and move the first member to the releasing position, the switching unit comprising a magnet generating the first magnetic force, a coil portion generating a second magnetic force, opposite to the direction of the first magnetic force, when a current is applied to the coil portion, a second member that moves the first member towards the releasing position, a second elastic member that applies a second elastic force to the second member to move the first member towards the releasing position, and a mobile piece, connected to the second member, that moves under the influence of the first and second magnetic forces and the second elastic force, wherein the first magnetic force is greater than the second elastic force, the second elastic force is greater than the net magnetic force of the switching unit when the current is applied to the coil portion, when the first member is in the coupling position, the first magnetic force maintains the mobile piece and the second member in a first position, when the current is applied to the coil portion, the second elastic force moves the second member and the mobile piece to a second position, and the movement of the second member moves the first member from the coupling position to the releasing position, and the first member, the first elastic member, the switching unit, and the returning unit are assembled onto the additional bracket, and the assembled additional bracket is installed on the tray.